Chad Harrison, 1st place guitar at the 2024 Mt. Airy Fiddlers’ Convention – photo © G. Nicholas Hancock
The 52nd Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention was held this past Friday and Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Mount Airy, NC. More than 175 pickers competed in the individual instrument categories. Thirty-four bands played in the old-time band and bluegrass band competitions, 18 in old-time and 16 in bluegrass.
Local musicians such as Elijah Smith from Mount Airy, and pickers from afar such as Bodie Gibbons-Guinn from Mt. Savage, Maryland; Noland Strupeck from LaPorte, Indiana; and Sam Moss from Brooklyn, NY lined up in the heat to await their turn on the stage to perform before the judges for ribbons, trophies, and a total of $5,260 in cash prizes.
This year’s winners in the various categories were:
Adult Old-time Fiddle
- Richard Bowman, Mt. Airy, NC
- Ben Miller
- Libby Weitzenour
- Shay Garriock
- Joe Overton
Adult Bluegrass Fiddle
- Charlie Tolbert, Purlear, NC
- Ella Thomas
- John Hofmann
- Cody Bauer
- Wayne Erbsen
Adult Old-time Banjo
- Marsha Todd, Mt. Airy, NC
- Trish Fore
- Ashley Watkins
- Nancy Sluys
- Jared Boyd
Adult Bluegrass Banjo
- Ettore Buzzini, Mooresville, NC
- Trevor Holder
- Jacob Johnson
- Travis Watts
- Berkley Stewart
Adult Guitar
- Chad Harrison, Claudeville, VA
- Ryan Lambert
- Cody McGrady
- Marshall Brown
- Tae Childress
Adult Mandolin
- 1. Todd Hiatt
- 2. Zeb Gambill
- 3. Arnie Soloman
- 4. Daniel Ullom
- 5. Alex Meredith
Adult Bass Fiddle
- Briar McDowell, Hendersonville, NC
- Shannon Murray
- Michael Plumley
- Nick McMillan
- Levi Head
Adult Dobro
- Keith Aiken
- James Murdock
- Charlie Milliron
- Pammy Lassiter
- Candace Noah
Adult Dulcimer
- Phyllis Gaskins
- Danny Castevens
- Tim Thornton
- Dick Lamb
- Ehukai Teves
Adult Autoharp
- Penny Kilby, Mouth of Wilson, VA
- Vicki Boyd
- Jimmy Handy
- Mason Winfrey
Adult Folk Song
- Gina Rosencrans
- Tommy Nichols
- Debbi Kauffman
- Andrew Small
- Asenthra Easter
Adult Dance
- Michael Motley
- Nathan Vargo
- Maggie Oakes
- Cheri Compton
- Rodney Sutton
Adult Old-time Band
- New Floyd County Ramblers
- Slate Mountain Ramblers
- Shot Doctrine
- Up Jumped Trouble
- Surry County Broadcasters
Adult Bluegrass Band
- Foggy Window Ramblers
- Harrison Ridge
- Signal Mountain Serenaders
- Ragged Edge
- Promise Lane
Youth Old-time Fiddle
- Finton McGrath, Rockbridge County, VA
- Cheyenne Grantham
- Ola Moeckel
- Miles Kexel
- Kaylee McKoy
Youth Bluegrass Fiddle
- Nolan Strupeck, LaPorte, IN
- Alexander Ferranti
- Bodie Gibbons-Guinn
- Benjamin Ferranti
- John Tate
Youth Old-time Banjo
- Margo MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- William Moeckel
- Wren Hello
- Wyatt Grantham
- Samuel Spencer
Youth Bluegrass Banjo
- Peter Trakimowicz, Wilmington, NC
- Shawn Rippel
- Silas Walls
Youth Guitar
- Tucker Conner, Fleetwood, NC
- Elijah Smith
- Andy Nichols
- Rickie Caudle
- Corbin Walls
Youth Mandolin
- Orson Cornett, Boone, NC
- Luke Spencer
- Hollace Oakes
- Chris Trakimowicz
- Sarah Walls
Youth Bass Fiddle
- Coley Palmer, Dobson, NC
- Harvey Baker
Youth Folk Song
- Tucker Conner, Fleetwood, NC
- Miles Kexel
- Gracie Terry
- Hollace Oakes
- Bodie Gibbons-Guinn
Youth Dance
- Margo MacSweeney, Floyd, VA
- Miles Kexel
- Ola Moeckel
- Misha MacSweeney
- William Moeckel
Most Promising Talent Trophy
- Peter Trakimowicz
Up-and-coming Youth Band
- Walls Band
